As computer-aided manufacturing has progressed, three-dimensional (3D) printing technology has developed to rapidly convert original design concepts into physical models. A common technique for 3D printing involves additive manufacturing, in which successive layers of a material may be formed on top of each other. Each of the successive layers may correspond with a cross-sectional layer of a 3D object, so that the complete stack of successive layers forms the 3D object.
Typically, the successive layers may be formed from a resin with a low melting point. However, systems that utilize resin may require heating elements to prevent the resin from cooling down too quickly and prematurely curing. Additionally, these systems may require the temperature of the print head to be carefully maintained.
Other 3D printing systems may use laser sintering to selectively fuse together successive layers of powdered waxes. However, laser systems have a very narrow working area due to the small beam size of the laser. This often requires the laser to be scanned over a large area, increasing overall print times.